Hinckley AFC emerged from a filthy night at Pride Park with another crucial three points as Jack Edwards’ brace helped them come from behind to overcome Wolves Sporting.
The players from both sides and the match officials deserve enormous credit for overcoming the conditions, the rain was incessant throughout but the pitch stood up to the test well to ensure we didn’t have a repeat of the abandonment of the fixture earlier in the season.
Still on a high from Saturday’s last gasp win, Hinckley began well and controlled most of the first half but came up against home keeper Sam Cooksey in outstanding form. The tone was set early on, Lewis Rankin’s pass sent Brady Middleton through on goal inside two minutes but Cooksey raced off his line to block.
Cooksey continued to thwart AFC, he blocked Riley Davoile’s fierce shot at point blank range before pushing over Isa Abraham’s effort at his near post and just before the break, denied Davoile again, diving to his right at full stretch to keep out a low drive from the edge of the box.
Though on the defensive for much of the half, Sporting had a great opportunity to take a surprise lead midway through when Les Omorodion got in behind the defence but stabbed his close range shot wide.
A goalless first half gave way to a sensational start to the second with four goals inside ten minutes. Sporting took the lead with a well crafted goal, the impressive Jack Arnold played a cross field pass to Omorodion who atoned for his earlier miss by taking a superb first touch before curling home a left foot shot from the right hand edge of the box.
Hinckley almost responded immediately but Cooksey again frustrated them by tipping aside Rankin’s effort, but the equaliser soon came when Edwards shifted the ball to his right foot on the edge of the area before curling his shot home beyond the despairing dive of Cooksey.
The cheers of the away fans had barely died down when their side took the lead with a similar goal as Adam Barber showed good skill 20 yards from goal to drag the ball back and beat his man before drilling home a right footed shot.
And the goalscoring drama continued as Hinckley quickly went further in front with Edwards grabbing his second, a clinical finish after a delightful touch from Davoile helped on Barber’s throw in to secure the points.
Sporting could have got themselves back in the game, but Matt Dawson did well to clear Arnold’s shot off the line, but most of the action continued at the other end. Despite the worsening conditions, Hinckley passed the ball well but some profligate finishing meant they had to settle for three on the night, leaving them on 99 league goals for the campaign.
Wolves: Sam Cooksey, Fortune Sibanda, Joshua Balacoune (Michael Agyemang 60), Ryan Kimberley, Connor Fellows, Sam Baxter, Louie Newbold, Yannick Gomes, Leslie Omorodion (Samuel Giles 73), Jack Arnold (Jamarley Rouse 81), Ben Wood. Sub not used: Ian Watkins
Goal: Leslie Omorodion (46)
Hinckley: Brandon Bache, Matt Dawson, Adam Barber, Zaki Evans, James Bryson, Joe Obi, Lewis Rankin (Harry Walker-Donovan 82), Jack Edwards (Preston Bitemo 60), Brady Middleton (Danny Fraser 73), Riley Davoile, Isa Abraham (Tom Weale 66). Sub not used: Ky Green
Goals: Jack Edwards (49, 56), Adam Barber (51)
